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Early Sunday morning, Israel’s military launched air strikes in southern Lebanon to stop an imminent attack by Hizbollah. Israel sent around 100 jets to hit rocket launchers in Lebanon after discovering Hizbollah’s plans to attack Israel.
Hizbollah responded by firing more than 300 rockets at Israel. This was the biggest clash between Hizbollah and Israel since their war in 2006.
Hizbollah’s attack was a retaliation for Israel’s killing of Fuad Shukr, a senior Hizbollah commander, last month. This led to threats of retaliation from Hizbollah and Iran, raising concerns of a wider conflict in the region.
Israel’s strikes in Lebanon hit many targets near the border, causing smoke to rise from the area. Some reports said there were between 35 and 40 Israeli air strikes.
Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv briefly stopped flights due to the conflict. Israel raised its emergency alert level but did not report any casualties.
Egypt was supposed to host talks between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict in Gaza. The US and Arab states see these talks as crucial to prevent a bigger war in the region.
US President Joe Biden is closely following the events in Israel and Lebanon. The US has sent more warships and fighter jets to the region to deter Hizbollah and Iran and help protect Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of emergency across Israel to defend the country and ensure the safety of its residents.
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